- Title
- Case study of slope failure during construction of an open pit mine in Indonesia
- Creator
- Wang, Wei; Griffiths, D. Vaughan
- Relation
- Canadian Geotechnical Journal Vol. 56, Issue 5, p. 636-648
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2017-0662
- Publisher
- NRC Research Press
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2019
- Description
- This paper presents back-analyses of a failed slope at an open pit lignite mine in Muara Enim, Indonesia. The slope, which was being raised by the dumping of excavated material, failed at a dump height of 24 m, well before reaching the design height of 80 m. The primary cause of failure was determined to be the presence of a previously unknown weak layer in the foundation, combined with high excess pore pressures generated by a relatively fast dumping rate. The failure resulted in significant disruption of the mining operation, in addition to environmental problems and a high cost of remediation. Finite element analyses were performed to gain a better understanding of the influence of the weak layer at the time of the failure. The case history emphasizes the need for a thorough site investigation and the risks associated with fast dumping on saturated weak clay overlain by a stiff residual soil layer with low permeability.
- Subject
- slope stability; weak clay; excess pore-water; underdrained strength; finite; element approach
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1469876
- Identifier
- uon:48328
- Identifier
- ISSN:0008-3674
- Language
- eng
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